Automatic detaching holdback.



0. F. BROWN. AUTdMATIG DETAGHING HOLDBAGK. APPLICATION FILED 00T. 20 1910.

1,010,115, Patented Nov.28, 1911.

Fi g. 5 Innenm- Ay ,0W www:

1 A ttnmga ORLOW F. BROWN, OF LEXINGTON, MICHIGAN.

i AUTOMATIC DETACI-IING HOLDCBACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, V1911.

Application led October 20, 1910. Serial No. 588,108.

To all whom it may concern.`

Be it known that I, ORLow F. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lexington, county of Sanilac, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Detaching Holdbacks, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part -f of this specification.

This invention relates to horse detachers.

It has for its object an improved holdback coupler adapted to automatically release tle holdback when for any reason the tug connection between the horse and the vehicle is disconnected and the horse moves forward from the thills.

In the drawings Figure 1, is a perspective showing a pair of thills with the coupler attachment connected thereto. Fig. 2, is an elevation showing in detail a single coupler. Fig. 3, is a reverse plan view. Fig. 4, is a cross section at the line a-a of Fig. 2. Fig. 5, shows a ring connection of the harness, the use of which enables the coupler to be modified by omitting a spring.

The holdback connection is used with each thill so that with a pair of thills 1 and 2 I employ two holdback connections 3 and 4. The connection consists essentially of a hanging track member 5 provided with end terminals 6 and 7 perforated for the passage of the securing screws 8 and 9. Between the end terminals the body of the coupler is solid and the connection member between the two terminals hangs below the plane of the lower side of the thill spaced therefrom suiiiciently to allow for stop lugs 10 and 11, and having space between the tops of the stop lugs 10 and 11 and the under surface of the thill, and, lengthwise of the thill, between the terminals 6 and 7 suflicient for the passage of the hook body or carriage 12.

The hook member consists of the plate 12, having a depended guide flange which runs in a longitudinal slot in the track member, called hereinafter for purposes of clearness, the carriage, and a hanging hook 13, under the bill of which, or between the bill and the carriage, engages the ring 14 of the holdback strap hangers. The carriage 12 is of a length to engage easily between the end of the hanging member and the lug 10, or between the lugs 10 and 11, or between the lug 11 and the end `6 of the'hanger, the three spaces being made substantially equal in length, and each space being substantially equal to the length of the carriage, or slightly in excessof the length of the carriage. The carriage is provided with a spring 15 secured to that side thereof which lies next to the thill, and serving to press the carriage into its seat and away from the thill body, but movable sufficiently to allow the carriage to be shifted from one space to another along the hanger.v On the under side of the carriage, or the hook side of the carriage, there is a spring 16 secured to the carriage and rising in toward the bill of the hook and serving to prevent the improper escape of the ring 14 from its engaging position between the bill and the carriage part of the traveling hook.

With a bent ring 17 shown in Fig. 5, the spring 15 may be dispensed with, as with a bent ring provided with cross bar 18 the tension under the horse action tends to force the end 19 of the ring toward the hanger .and acts as a lever to hold the carriage 12 close to its seat at all times.

What I claim is A detachable holdback, having in combination with a thill, a track having a longitudinal central slot, and end terminals by which it is fastened to the under face of the thill and spaced therefrom, lugs projecting upward from the track and spaced from the thill forming a plurality of seats, each seat accessible to the others by a passage over the top of the lugs, a carriage T-shaped in cross section, the bar thereof adapted to t into the seat and the stem having a depended hook, a spring attached to the'top of the carriage, and yieldingly and slidably engaging the under face of the thill, a spring attached to the bottom of the stem and adapted to yieldingly close the bill of the hook portion, and a ring held in the hook portion, and adapted to be released by forward draft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

ORLOW F. BROWN.

Witnesses:

ALBERT R. BROWN, JAMES NrcHoL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for iive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

